The Los Angeles Lakers found a bit of fortune as projected Top 10 pick Dalton Knecht slid to them at pick 17 in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The expectation is that LeBron James will re-sign with the Lakers and newly hired head coach JJ Redick. Building a roster around LeBron has a been a storyline every year he has been in the league. Last season’s roster was not equipped to contend.
Drafting Knecht gives Redick and company a ready scoring threat for cheap depth. The NBA continues to be a little weird when it comes to players that play over three years in college. As a fifth year senior playing for the University of Tennessee, Knecht scored 21.7 points per game on nearly 40% shooting from beyond the arc. He added four rebounds while sporting a 100.1 defensive rating.
The rise of Austin Reaves next to Anthony Davis and LeBron James could be a realistic model for Dalton Knecht under the tutelage of JJ Redick who was a gritty scoring guard himself. Knecht should have an impact early, much like Desmond Bane did for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2020-21.
